Garmin nuvi 2757LM

The Garmin nuvi 2757LM is one of the company’s first 7″ navigator outside of their dezl trucker line. In fact, the hardware seems identical to the dezl 760LMT, although the dezl does have a different mount. This 2013 Advanced series model’s improvements over the 2012 series include active lane guidance, “Real Directions” and the slide-out Up Ahead feature (seen above). I’ll explore each of those features in more detail below.

The 2757LM includes maps of the US, Canada and Mexico, as well as lifetime map updates.

Related units

NOTE: Much of the following is based on my hands on review of the 2797LMT, which adds Bluetooth, voice command and live traffic, but is otherwise identical.

Size matters

Below you can see three nuvis for size comparison — a 7″, 5″ and 4.3″.

Size comparison of 7″, 5″ and 4.3″ Garmin nuvis

Seven-inches makes for a big navigator. It didn’t overwhelm my Honda Accord, but I sure wouldn’t want it in anything smaller, and I don’t think I’d want this for everyday use. But if you have a full-size pickup or a van, this might be a good choice for you. If you have an RV, or anything large enough to worry about bridge clearances, etc., you might want to look at the dezl 760LMT.

Map differences

While the differences aren’t always as dramatic as shown below, the 2757LM often displays more information and/or a larger area than the 2597LMT…

The 5″ 2597LMT map screen (top) vs. the 7 ” 2757LM (bottom)

Powered mount

I’ll also note that the 27×7 series has a powered mount, unlike the 4.3 and 5″ models in the nuvi Advanced series. You can see it in the image below…

Garmin nuvi 27×7 series rear and powered mount

And while I prefer to use a friction dashboard mount, I found the windshield suction mount to be very secure. I had no trouble with the 7″ 27×7 series mounted using either method.

New features

Active lane guidance

One of nicest new features on the 2013 Advanced and Prestige series nuvis is active lane guidance. There was some concern that this would be inferior to the old lane assist feature, but rest assured, the new one is clearly superior. While it is true that the lane guidance doesn’t always show up in the next maneuver indicator, consider the image below where the vehicle is approaching two different exits. The new system does a much better job at showing which exit to take.

Next turn and the street you are on

As you can see in the images above and below, the 2757LM shows the street you are currently traveling on at the bottom of the screen (unlike previous nuvis) and the next turn at the top of the screen. When you are not actively navigating the top bar shows the next cross street you are approaching.

Up ahead

You can see the slide out Up Ahead menu in the screenshot below. Tap one of the icons to get a list of upcoming gas stations, banks/ATMs and restaurants. Unlike last year’s Exit Services feature, this feature alerts you to upcoming POIs on surface street routes as well. The three menu items and their order can be customized by tapping one of the icons and then tapping the wrench icon. Additional options include parking, rest areas, lodging and custom search (for a business name or category). Note the X to close the Up Ahead menu.

Slide-out up ahead feature

You open the Up Ahead feature by tapping the menu icon in the bottom right corner of the map screen, and selecting it from the customizable menu that opens ups.

Real Directions

This feature tells you to turn at a landmark rather than a street name (although the street name is still shown on the screen). It’s only available in a limited number of markets (52 as of this past February). I heard it a couple of times during a quick trip to Atlanta, where it said “turn right at the traffic light” and “turn left at the Holiday Inn.” A little voice bubble shows up on the screen at junctions with this feature…

School zone warnings

Warnings such as the one below appear (along with a chime) when you approach a school zone.

School zone warning

Missing feature: Dashboards

One item Garmin took away (in order to show the road you are currently on), is the selectable dashboards feature. This allowed you to add more data fields to the map screen, such as elevation, remaining travel time, etc. Now you’ll need to use the slide-out trip data feature if you want such information.

Performance

I noticed no routing errors, sluggish performance, lock ups or shut downs during a month of testing the 2757LM.

Garmin nuvi 2757LM pros

7″ screen

Powered mount

Lifetime maps

Active lane guidance

Up ahead feature

Customization options

Garmin nuvi 2757LM cons

Nothing significant

Conclusion and recommendation

Recommended. This 7″ model is a welcome addition to the nuvi line and ranks as one of the best nuvis yet. In addition to the giant screen, the most notable improvements are active lane guidance and the up ahead feature.